Fluorinated polyethers are well-known in the art and have found many applications. For example, fluorinated polyethers and their use have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,250,808, 3,839,425, and 5,130,477. The fluorinated polyethers have been used as intermediates in the preparation of useful compositions to be applied to substrates to impart oil and/or water repellent properties. The fluorinated polyethers have also been used as surfactants and emulsifying compounds. For example, fluoropolyether acids, amides and salts thereof have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,644,492, 3,798,265, 3,555,089, 3,621,059, 3,944,610, and 3,536,710.
There is however an ever growing environmental awareness and the fluorinated polyethers disclosed in the art, in particular those that have been disclosed for use as surfactants, may no longer meet today's expectations with respect to the environmental properties and impact of compositions based on such polyethers. It is a particularly desired environmental property that the fluorochemical surfactants are substantially free of fluorochemical components that eliminate slowly from the body of living organisms. Additionally, it is desired that the fluorochemical surfactants have a sufficient stability under normal conditions of use and storage such that they do not decompose into fluorochemical components that eliminate slowly from the body of living organisms. Of course in seeking more environmentally friendly compositions, other properties such as the performance as surfactants in a broad variety of applications should not be compromised or at least not to a substantial level and preferably the compositions can be conveniently manufactured at minimal costs.